Bought the property, the furniture and TV arrived we settled in to a happy future in Spain.
The one thing that annoyed my wife about the property was the large satellite dish in the middle of what she was trying to turn into a very beautiful garden. As the months progressed and we were spending more time indoors than out due to the colder weather, we found our UK TV channels were decreasing in numbers and there were strong rumours of even more channels disappearing, infact we could lose them all.
The satellite dish was duely dismantled and placed next to the large bin in the street, it was removed within an hour by our local Gitano and then I delivered the satellite box with remote control and instructions to his door.
What now? Our options!
Satellite TV, maybe sky - This is a non starter - we don't want a SATELLITE DISH anywhere on the property!
IP TV with set top box. -
This sounded a very good option, Guaranteed very good TV resolution. Receive non-stop channels and programmes, even in bad weather ( unlike satellite TV ). Has the option of a 14 day rollback of programmes. We can have all the UK channels.
However looking into it deeper -
The set top box will only transmit the same programme to all TV's in the house, you need one box per TV to watch different programmes in different rooms. The set top box only transmits channels and programmes. Tied into one company with monthly fees. Is it legal? I don't know if it is.
Flash Router VPN IP TV -
This sounded a lot more of a flexible option,
The Flash Router will transmit a wi-fi signal throughout the house and can be picked up by PC, Laptop, tablet, PS3, Xbox, mobile phone, which means UK TV can be watched in any room, on any media equipment, any channel and any programme different to any other TV/equipment in the house. The router also enables a very high internet security level so that any media equipment logged onto the router has the same level of security. The internet in the house can be used as if you are still based in the UK, with a UK IP address. There is however a small monthly charge to the IP address company.
Is it legal? I think it is yes, because the Flash Router is not just for the distribution of UK TV channels/programmes, it is there to give you extra internet security and provide you with a VPN ( VirtualPprivate Network ) and a different IP address, not only a UK IP address but it can be programmed for an IP address for 54 different countries around the World.
As you can probably tell my option was the latter. I bought it, configured and programmed it and I am pleased to say I now enjoy UK TV.
I recently visited a friend who has a very similar system but he has the added luxury of a SMART TV hooked up via ethernet plugs in his houshold electrical sockets so that every electrical socket in the house has the internet running to it via the wiring circuit.
My next investment, SMART TV and ethernet plugs for the mains electrical circuit.
I hope this blog may help someone faced with a similar dilmema.